Saturday, June 30, 2012

For the first time since 2004, Steve Nash is not a Sun. Joining him in the unrestricted free-agent market are Grant Hill, Shannon Brown, Ronnie Price and Michael Redd, who all became free agents at the hour.

Being a two-time MVP and probably the best floor-general in the league, Nash is one of the more popular NBA free agents this offseason. He's also had some issues with this back during his career, and when you combine that with his age of 38, the most recent report by Sam Amick of SI.com seems a bit surprising.

Sources confirm that the Raptors are ready to offer a deal that would pay about $12 million a year, with the deal being either two or three years long.

According to Sam Amick:

Nash has extensive Raptors ties, among them his connections to former Suns GM Colangelo to his time with former Raptors coach and current vice president of pro scouting Jay Triano, who worked with Nash on the Canadian Olympic team.

Sources confirmed that the Raptors are likely to offer a deal that pays approximately $12 million annually, though it remains to be seen whether it is for three guaranteed years or two years with a team option in the third season.

Basically, Toronto is prepared to offer Nash at least $24 million to play through age 40, or at least $36 million to play through age 41. Toronto has plenty of young talent, but haven't made the postseason in three straight years. They're adding Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross, and feel that Nash is the missing link to maximize all this youth and potential.

Wow, $12 million a year for Nash? I know he's good, but that's a lot of money and years at this time of his career. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the Raptors ended up offering up to $14-15 million for Nash. I'm hoping all this money brings over the Phoenix training staff as well.

This is more than basketball, for both sides. Bryan Colangelo and Nash share a bond that goes back many years, and Nash's nationality is the cherry on top for this deal. The Raptors need to, and are willing to, blow any competition out of the water. I wouldn't be surprised if they even offered Nash (under the table) a front-office position guarantee, too, once his playing days are over. Remember, Steve Nash is now the general manager of the Canadian men's basketball team.

As Alex Kennedy reported earlier, the Raptors could have traded the eighth pick in last week's NBA draft for Kyle Lowry, but held off to aggressively pursue Steve Nash.

Steve Nash and the Suns handled his last season under contract in Phoenix incredibly well. There was no media circus, no trade-deadline speculation, and rumors were practically non-existent. Please take notes Dwight Howard, you immature buffoon.

As a result, the rest of the country didn't pounce on the opportunity to criticize an unsuccessful year for the Suns, one where Nash did as much as he could with a roster where he was forced to either score or create a scoring opportunity for a teammate on virtually every single play he was on the floor.

Other teams like the Heat will also pursue Nash. They don't have as much money to throw at him like Toronto does, but they've got something else. The question is: Does Nash want a homecoming or a championship?

The IBF Junior Middleweight title is on the line tonight as Cornelius “K9” Bundrage squares off for the second time with Cory Spinks, the fighter from whom he took the belt nearly two years ago.

Spinks comes in as a decided underdog just as Bundrage did when it was Spinks holding the title back in August of 2010.

Bundrage (31-4, 18 KOs) routed Spinks with a fifth-round TKO in their first meeting, capping a 5-2 stretch in which he posted four knockouts in all. He’s only defended his title once since claiming it, earning a rare win by decision against Sechew Powell.

Powell was also the most recent victim for Spinks (39-6, 11 KOs), who’s won a pair of decisions since Bundrage took his belt. Spinks, the son of former heavyweight champ Leon, didn’t exactly get his dad’s power: it’s been over a decade since he posted a victory by knockout.

In the first meeting between these fighters, Bundrage was able to overpower Spinks without worrying too much about technique. He’ll need to avoid being over-aggressive in the early going because Spinks is too skilled a fighter to be caught off-guard by the same approach this time around.

Bundrage is perfectly capable of boxing as well as brawling, and the biggest factor for him will be striking the balance between the two. He’s obviously the stronger fighter here, and he needs to attack just enough to use his superior power without giving Spinks too many openings.

Keys to Spinks' Win

Defense, defense, defense. Spinks absolutely cannot afford to let Bundrage get good shots in early, both because of Bundrage’s power and because it would hurt his chances of playing for a decision in the later rounds.

Spinks needs to drag the fight out, giving him a chance to get an edge in punches landed and then extend the lead. Testing Bundrage’s stamina—at 39, the champ is five years older than Spinks—wouldn’t be a bad idea for its own sake, either.

Prediction

Spinks is a very skillful boxer, but he just doesn’t have enough of an advantage in that department to outshine Bundrage. The champ’s superior power will make it tough for Spinks to stick to a gameplan and even tougher for him to last the full 12 rounds.

Bundrage may not win by knockout, but even if Spinks takes him the distance, the decision will keep Bundrage’s belt right where it is.

Haven't seen many threads on this fight. It has big implications in terms of contendership for the MW division. How do you all see this fight playing out? I think Chris Weidman is a great prospect, but Mark Munoz's experience will play a big factor in this one. I also give the edge in the standup to Munoz. Wrestling advantage, I gotta give to Weidman though. Mark's wrestling looks really suspect at times.

A poll indicates 52% of registered New York voters have heard nothing about the legalization of mixed martial arts in New York. �The latest Siena College Research Institute poll asked 766 New York registered voters about a variety of topics including the legalization of MMA in the state. The following are the results: 766 New [...]

If Aaron Hill isn't already on your fantasy roster, there's almost zero chance you can add him now. He was either picked up weeks ago or as soon as someone in your league saw the highlights from Friday night.

Performing more like your created player in MLB The Show than a mortal human second baseman these past few weeks, Hill hit for the cycle against the Brewers—the second time he hit for the cycle in 12 days. (The first time was against the Mariners.)

Never mind the fact that only one other guy since 1900 (Babe Herman) has ever hit for the cycle twice in one season (in 1931). Unlike hitting four home runs in one game, hitting the cycle is more a statistical quirk than any real indication of talent.

Still, Hill was ridiculous all June with a .352 average, five home runs and 17 RBI. He's been so good for just the past 15 days, in fact, that he's been right up there with, if not better than, the all-worlders at his position (Robinson Cano and Ian Kinsler).

But will it last?

After all, this is the same Aaron Hill who smashed 36 homers in 2009 and 26 in 2010.

While nobody's going to turn down this kind of surge out of the second-base spot (and you shouldn't remove him from your lineup anytime for the foreseeable future), it might also be a prime time to sell him high.

Those 26 home runs in 2010? Those came with a grisly .205 average. And in 2011, he was beyond brutal for the Blue Jays, hitting .225 with only six homers in 104 games. He did pick it up after an August move to Arizona and hit .315 for the Diamondbacks at the end of the season.

But Hill has only really just secured a full-time job by beating out Josh Bell, and he's getting on base at an .849 clip—more than 100 points higher than his seven-year career average—which suggests a slower tempo soon to come.

Hill scored 42 fantasy points in Week 13, but topped 20 only four times in the previous 12 weeks—and didn't get 10 five other weeks. Although his current hot streak has known no geographic bounds, he's been exceedingly iffy on the road all season. Hill has a .360 average with seven homers and 24 RBI in Arizona but has managed just .221 with three homers and 11 RBI everywhere else.

It's definitely possible that Hill has regained some of his former form, but expectations should still probably be tempered. He's on pace for 23 homers and 81 RBI— both of which would be close to career highs—but also just about the best-case scenario for him.

The average will dip from .293, and maybe not as much as you'd think. But even if it only falls to, say, a reasonable .265, think of what that will do to the chances Hill accomplishes those best-case scenario numbers.

In just two seasons in the NBA, Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins has completed the quadfecta of "players with character issues" by getting benched, suspended, punched by a teammate and kicked off a team plane (per aolnews.com).

He’s also the cornerstone of a franchise that’s hanging by a thread, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Kings have taken measures to appease their young, high-maintenance superstar, (i.e. firing Paul Westphal), but as Matt Moore of Pro Basketball Talk points out, Cousins has remained temperamental and, by most accounts, disliked.

It seems the team has now moved onto plan B.

Sacramento followed its 2010 choice to draft one of the most unpopular players in American sports with two of its most beloved: Jimmer Fredette, a clean-cut senior from ultra-conservative BYU, and Thomas Robinson, who left school a year early for the pros to take care of his young sister after his mom and grandparents died just weeks apart.

Pairing problem players with strong, demanding figures is common practice in any sport. The Kings, however, seem to be approaching Cousins like the well-intentioned parents of a kid starting to hang with the wrong crowd. By surrounding him with high-character teammates, maybe Cousins will glean some of this positive influence and go from “total jerk” to “tolerable jerk.”

Of course, the entire plan hinges on how effective Fredette and Robinson can be on the court, but the Kings are gambling (insert Maloof brothers joke here) on a winning attitude begetting a winning culture.

With the team’s future in Sacramento in doubt, these new positive role models will have more than their performance on the court gauging their success.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Tito Ortiz will officially be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame next Saturday, July 7, ahead of his third bout with Forrest Griffin that night at UFC 148. The UFC announced on Thursday that the induction will take place midday Saturday as part of the UFC Fan Expo, with Ortiz entering Saturday night's fight an official member of the Hall of Fame.

"It is a huge honor to be recognized as one of the greatest fighters of all time by the UFC," Ortiz said in a press release for the induction. "To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is final proof that all the hard work and dedication, all the pain and sacrifices, were all worth it. To be able to walk to the Octagon one last time as an official UFC Hall of Fame level fighter is going to be humbling and awesome. I'm very grateful to have this opportunity to end my career on such a high like this."

"I want to thank my family for all their love and support and my fans for sticking with me through the bad times when being a Tito Ortiz fan wasn't the coolest thing to be. Finally, I want to thank Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White for giving me so many opportunities over the years and for securing the future of the sport I love and have dedicated my life to."

Ortiz's history with the UFC has certainly had its ups and downs. The former longtime Champion has had contract disputes, public feuds, and more with Zuffa brass, specifically his former manager, UFC President Dana White. It's a situation that led to a lot of bad blood, but it has since been put to the past, with both sides coming to an amicable working relationship down the stretch.

With Ortiz entering the final fight of his career in the UFC 148 bout with Griffin, White reflected on Ortiz's place in UFC history.

"Everyone knows the story of me and Tito and all the things that went on between us," White said. "A lot of it wasn't fun at the time, but all that controversy and craziness is now part of the story of the UFC, and there's no question that in his prime he was a huge star and one of the greats of his era.

"You can't write the story of this era of mixed martial arts without Tito Ortiz, and that's why he belongs in the Hall of Fame. He's been in the UFC for 15 years ? and sticking around that long is an achievement in itself ? and now he's down to just 15 minutes at UFC 148. Believe me, I know how proud and stubborn this guy is and I expect him to use everything he has left as a fighter to go out as a winner at UFC 148."

Aaron Simpson went to Arizona State with NFL player and Army Ranger Pat Tillman. Simpson became friends with Pat's brother Kevin, and Pat and Kevin would come to wrestling meets to support Simpson and the other Sun Devil wrestlers."I can remember exac...

The UFC Heavyweight Championship rematch between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez will happen this fall, but once again fans in Toronto may be disappointed. The fight was initially being targeted for the UFC 152 event in September in the Canadian city, then was put in doubts when it was reported that Velasquez's hand was injured and he wouldn't be ready for the card.

However, Velasquez's camp squashed those rumors almost immediately, with them still targeting the Toronto event for the fight. Now, though, UFC President Dana White says the fight is not likely for Toronto anymore, and he hinted that it could be because of dos Santos.

"Yes, that fight will happen," White said on the post-fight show for UFC 147 on Fuel TV. "I don't know when and I don't know where. That is going to depend on Junior. The fight will happen, but probably not in Toronto [at UFC 152]."

That leaves the bout once again in the wind, though it will definitely happen this fall at some point in time.

Penick's Analysis: White didn't really go into it further than that, as far as what may be keeping dos Santos, but it's certainly disappointing to have the fight moved further than the September pay-per-view. It would have been a fantastic one-two punch at the top of the card with that title fight and B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald. Alas, that isn't likely to happen anymore, and the fight will take place somewhere yet to be determined.

Let me say this: I don't think the Bobcats maximized their opportunities in this draft. I think the trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which they would have acquired the fourth, 24th, and 33rd pick for their second and 31st pick was too good to pass up, but they did anyway.

But still, I sit here a happy man. Giddy, even.

My friends reading this, and anyone who has read my articles (delusions of grandeur, anyone?), will know that I've been extremely high on Thomas Robinson, and not exactly too high on MKG. T-Rob is going to compete for Rookie of the Year this year. He is the most NBA-ready player in the draft and likely will average nearly a double-double in his first season.

MKG... well, MKG isn't going to do any of those things.

He's going to be the swingman for the Bobcats, and he's effectively going to open up other players on the court. MKG isn't the most versatile scorer in the game, relying primarily on driving to the rim and put-backs. With the Kentucky Wildcats, he was seventh on the team in FG's attempted per minute, so he doesn't shoot as much either.

Unselfish or just not a scorer, either way, he's not going to score much in Charlotte next year. Maybe 12 to 13 points per game with six to seven rebounds per game. But, he is highly capable, and could even be an elite rebounder for his position. He is excellent in transition, he has excellent speed, length and plays taller than his 6'7" frame would indicate.

Most of his contributions, however, will come with his tenacious defense and his intangibles. His drive to get better will be infectious to the team, and he's been referred to as a dream to coach. The more I think about it, the more content I am with adding MKG, even if it was over T-Rob.

Kidd-Gilchrist doesn't even turn 19 until September, so he also has a lot of time to improve, and might not even be done growing and adding muscle.

I also love Jeffery Taylor as the 31st pick. He fills the same type of hole that MKG does (both are 6'7" forwards), but Taylor has a better jump shot. He's not as fast as MKG, doesn't carry the types of intangibles and isn't as good in transition, but he's still an excellent forward and he'll be valuable off the bench right from the start for the Bobcats.

I was pretty surprised he actually fell to the Bobcats at 31st, for he is truly a great athlete. He has a lot of defensive upside, and I think the Bobcats got a steal with Taylor at No. 31, despite having already filled their SF hole with MKG.

Bobcats General Manager Rich Cho is of the school of thought that you draft based off of talent, not need, and Taylor was simply the best player on the board at that point.

The surprising addition of Ben Gordon gives the Bobcats a great shooter, something they desperately need after finishing last in the league in three-point percentage last year. Gordon was used as a sixth man in Detroit last year, and probably will be used as the sixth man in Charlotte as well.

So where does that leave the Bobcats?

Well for one, they have cap space, and they need to use it on a center. I'm anticipating the team using their amnesty clause on Tyrus Thomas, and that essentially leaves us with Byron Mullens and DeSagana Diop to play center.

Mullens is 7'0" tall, but plays like an SF, and rebounds like one too. He is not effective in the paint, but he's a good scorer who would be great off the bench. Diop is just useless, so I won't even talk about him, other than to say he's about as useful as my broken foot right now.

Chris Kaman is the most attractive unrestricted free agent, and if the Bobcats could convince him of this young team's potential, they have a shot at him. Marcus Camby is also a possibility, though a less glamorous one. There are trade options too, including possible signings and trades involving DJ Augustin and future picks, but something needs to be done to fill that hole.

The long and short of it is this: The Bobcats have gotten better.

The team is incredibly young, and the talent and potential is all there. I'm a really big fan of Gerald Henderson, and I think he's going to contribute around 20 PPG this season, especially alongside an improved Kemba Walker and an effective swingman in MKG.

There are still holes, but Rich Cho did a great job with this draft by adding depth at a position in which the Bobcats had essentially no one to play after trading Corey Maggette, not that Maggette would have played much anyway.

Chael Sonnen enters next Saturday's UFC 148 event supremely confident he's going to defeat Anderson Silva in their UFC Middleweight Championship rematch. He has had the most success of any fighter in the UFC against Silva, nearly picking up a decision win at UFC 117 before getting submitted in the fifth and final round.

Expecting a win in this rematch, Sonnen already knows who he'd like to fight next after defeating Silva in Las Vegas.

"Some guys say they like a hard fight," Sonnen said in an interview with MMAjunkie.com. "I like easy fights, so I'm hoping they'll rematch me against Anderson."

Outside of what would be a rubber match between the two fighters, Sonnen's got some very specific requirements for whomever he'd defend his title against if he captures the belt on July 7.

"Here's the deal: I'm not going to fight anybody that didn't fight Anderson," Sonnen said. "The locker room is full of cowards that would never come forward and never wanted to fight him and ducked him and dodged him because they were scared of him."

"If you had the courage to fight him, then you've got the right to fight me. But if you're one of those cowards that sat back and hid, you're not getting a shot. Now if you called him out, I'll count that as fighting him, but you're going to find anyone besides me that called the guy out."

Penick's Analysis: If Chael Sonnen pulls off the win next Saturday night, a rubber match is almost assuredly going to be the next fight the UFC books. It would be insane not to, as it's sure to be a very big fight on pay-per-view, and if Silva suffers his first loss in the UFC it's going to be a huge, huge deal. Still, Sonnen's got to pick up the win first, something he failed to do two years ago despite coming immensely close. Next weekend's bout is going to be huge, but if he does pull it off the UFC may have an even bigger third bout on their hands.

Assuming things stay as they are, the Sacramento Kings will have the No. 5 pick when the 2012 NBA draft begins in a couple of hours. However, the Houston Rockets seem to have other ideas.

As reported by ESPN's Marc Stein and Chad Ford, Houston has engaged Sacramento in talks about that selection, offering up point guard Kyle Lowry and multiple first-round picks in return. However, as good as the trade is for them, chances are the Kings will walk away should Kansas forward Thomas Robinson be available by the time their turn comes around.

Yet, regardless of who is available at No. 5, the Kings simply have to make this deal. I hate to say it, but there's no way that Robinson will be available once it's their turn. On top of that, their biggest need is bench scoring and between gambling on a prospect with a lottery pick and having a veteran in Lowry, the former Villanova Wildcat is the better option. Nothing against incumbent Kings point man Isaiah Thomas, but he's a bit undersized at 5'9", 185 pounds and has a score-first mentality.

Lowry, on the other hand, is just what the Kings need. He can simply do it all from passing to scoring to playing solid defense. Last year, he balanced his skills out in averaging 14.3 points, 6.6 assists and even 1.6 steals. He also shot 37 percent from long range.

More importantly, Lowry already has the makings of a great leader at age 26. On a roster where all but two players are under 30, he would bring a solid veteran presence to the table in doing all he could to build relationships with the team's stars, specifically Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins.

If the team can start playing well together with Lowry getting them the ball, then the Kings will finally start looking like the team they were a decade ago, one of dominance and consistency that just missed out on trips to the NBA Finals.

Should the Kings hold onto their draft pick, all that they'll be doing is prolonging their rebuilding period. Given the uncertain future of the team in Sacramento, they need to bring in a solid veteran who can help usher in a new era regardless of home city.

Given Lowry's overall skills, Kings general manager Geoff Petrie would be silly to not pull the trigger on this deal now.

Jones earns his first nomination after an incredible run in the MMA world over the last 15 months. After capturing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship from Mauricio "Shogun" Rua last March, Jones has defeated three former champions in Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Rashad Evans consecutively to retain his title.

"It's an honor to not only be nominated for the ESPY for Best Fighter, but to also be included in a category with some of the greatest fighters in MMA and boxing history," Jones commented in a statement released by his management group.

Fans can vote on ESPY award categories online or by heading to ESPN.com/ESPYS on their mobile devices. The awards ceremony takes place on July 11 at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles, hosted by Rob Riggle.

Penick's Analysis: There's no earthly reason anyone but Jones should win the award this year. No MMA fighter has gotten the nod in past years, but what Jones has done inside the cage in the last calendar year is nothing short of spectacular. Regardless of anything else outside of the cage, his work inside has been unparalleled. Stopping three Champions in a row and becoming only the second person to defeat Evans, all in such a short time period, is an incredible feat, and he deserves to be recognized as the best fighter of the last year. Silva only fought once during the last calendar year, and though it was a fantastic knockout of Yushin Okami, it's not up to Jones' three fight stretch.

Zuffa has filed a lawsuit in Nevada against unnamed defendants for alleged copyright infringement from illegally streaming UFC 130 and 131. �The lawsuit filed June 8, 2012 has the IP addresses of the claimed infringers but no names as of yet. Zuffa claims that the actual names of the infringers will be named through the [...]

Since testing positive for an elevated testosterone to epitestosterone ratio back in March, UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem has remained mostly silent, outside of his hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

At that licensing hearing, Overeem's explanation for the presence of synthetic testosterone in his system was that he was given a mixture of drugs by his doctor to treat an injury. Unbeknownst to him, Overeem claimed, the mixture contained testosterone. His license was denied, though they reduced the amount of time he needed to wait before reapplying for a license.

Overeem continues to maintain that he's a clean fighter, and in an interview on Tuesday's edition of UFC Tonight, Overeem commented on a number of subjects surrounding his positive test, his elevated testosterone ratio, and more.

"Well, I'm back and the question is: why was I quiet? When I had the positive test results, I didn't even know what that was and I didn't want to talk about something I didn't know about. So we sat back and researched the whole topic," Overeem explained. "The positive test came as a surprise to me and everyone, and by the time we researched it, we figured we would just explain the situation in front of the commission. When you try to answer the media about something you don't know, I don't think it is the right thing to do."

"Like I explained in front of the commission, the spike was due to medication that I received from a licensed doctor to help my injury. I did it. I took responsibility and stepped away from the title fight. And now, I am doing random testing with the commission to prove I am a legit fighter.?

This so-called "random testing" Overeem spoke of is a self administered series of tests while he's waiting on the sidelines for nine months. Though he has already received criticism for doing a "random" test on his own, he says it's going to be an ongoing series of tests to show prove that he's got nothing to hide.

"I want to show the world that I am a clean fighter," he said. "One test doesn't say anything. But if you do the test every three to four weeks, than you prove to people that you are clean. You are being observed, and it is by different people who I don't know every time, so there is no foul play. I am hoping that I can prove to the world that I am a clean fighter. I am also doing this for myself, my fans, and the commission to show that I am a clean fighter and ready to come back and fight for a title in the UFC."

Overeem has also received heavy criticism from UFC President Dana White, who was incensed with the positive test after Overeem assured him to his face that he wouldn't fail any tests. Overeem said he hasn't yet talked to White, but hopes to prove to him and the fans that he is being honest.

"I have not spoken to Dana personally," Overeem said. "But he is a busy man, has a company to run and fans to take care of. I respect Dana and I want to convince Dana through my actions that I am a legit fighter and through tests... [The only way to convince anyone is] by doing these tests. What else can you do? I will be doing any tests that are requested of me at any time."

Penick's Analysis: Overeem can test himself every other day at this point and it's not going to change the opinions of some. Considering the questions that surrounded his massive size gain as he moved into the heavyweight division, the fact that he had synthetic testosterone in his system in March was enough to condemn him for many skeptics. It's going to be hard for anyone to take his word at face value with how this situation went down. For a fighter who has been so adamant that he knows what's going into his body to not know what was going into his body was a laughable excuse, and when the doctor in question had as shady a past as his doctor did, it didn't make for a believable story. He can pass all the tests he wants in this next year, all that will say to some is that he's off of whatever he was on before. He'll try to move past it, and provided he doesn't fail another test the UFC will still book him in major fights, and likely will still give him a title run, but this is going to remain a stain on him for a long time to come.

– The official WWE website has ranked Hulk Hogan turning his back on millions of Hulkamaniacs to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in forming one of the most infamous groups in history, the New World Order, as No. 1 in their “List This: Legends of the Fall.”– Former WWE talent Paul Heyman turns 46 years old today.– Rosa Mendes, who has not appeared on WWE programming since SummerSlam, posted her first message on Twitter since August 20 by ranting about fellow SmackDown Diva A.J. The three-year veteran doesn’t feel ...

Ronda Rousey's first defense of her Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship will indeed take place on August 18, as Strikeforce officials announced this week that the fight will headline a card at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif. on that date.

"We're excited to head back to the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego with the first title defense of bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, arguably the best female fighter in the sport today," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "She's submitted all of her opponents thus far, but number one contender Sarah Kaufman has the experience and tenacity to push her like no one else. This is a great title fight for Strikeforce fans and we look forward to another tremendous night of fights in San Diego!"

Rousey comes into the event with an undefeated record, which was extended in March when she nearly tore former Champ Miesha Tate's arm apart with an armbar, finally forcing her to submit. All of her career wins have come by armbar.

Kaufman, the division's former Champion, earned her way back into a title fight with a decision win over Alexis Davis on that same card in March. The win was her third straight win since losing her title to Marloes Coenen back in October of 2010.

Tickets for the event go on sale this week. UFC Fight Club members have their first crack at tickets today, June 27, beginning at 10AM PT. UFC and Strikeforce Newsletter subscribers will have a presale tomorrow, June 28, and tickets will open up to the public on Friday, June 29. Prices range from $45 to $150.

The last time Cub Swanson won two straight fights, they were a year apart and in two separate organizations. Now, after alternating wins and losses since 2008, he's got that elusive winning streak after Friday's UFC on FX 4 event in Atlantic City.

Swanson knocked out Ross Pearson in an excellent back and forth fight to kick off the FX broadcast, stopping the Ultimate Fighter winner in the second round. Swanson was connecting on a lot of his strikes, but was taking a fair amount of punishment throughout the fight himself. Pearson put him on his back, and walked through several hard and flashy strikes in a close first round and through much of the second.

However, Swanson continued to stay in the fight, bloodying Pearson's face with several strikes in the second frame. Then, after Pearson caught a front kick and drove him back, Swanson landed two short jabs, and knocked Pearson down with a left hook to the jaw. The referee stepped in quickly, giving Swanson his second straight win in 2012 in the UFC. Pearson has now lost three of his last five fights after winning his first three in the UFC.

I'm sick and tired of reading about how it's some huge advantage to "get into somebody's head." It's one thing to be in somebody's head just by your fighting resume (ie, Anderson against Leites and Maia), but how exactly is it a huge advantage to piss somebody off to the point where they come at you with an even greater determination to win the fight than they otherwise would? It seems like on these forums when a fighter talks trash it's always "oh he got into his head, now he has a better chance of winning."

Tito "got into Chuck's head" and received the two worst beatings of his career.

Rashad "got into Jones' head" and Jon ended up fighting more conservatively than ever down the stretch in order to secure the win.

Rampage "got into Jones' head" and was demolished despite coming into the fight better prepared than any other fight in his career (his words).

Melvin Guillard "got into Rich Clementi's head" and ended up being on the wrong end of one of Clementi's best performances and then teabagged.

Now I understand that an angry fighter isn't always more effective and that, yes, it can sometimes help to talk trash and get into somebody's head. However, it's very silly to take it as a given. Chael Sonnen is very much in Anderson Silva's head but he may just end up getting humiliated for accomplishing that.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

During Monday's UFC 148 media conference call, Chael Sonnen was relatively quiet, with Anderson Silva finally cracking and making some of the harshest public comments he's ever made regarding an opponent. Sonnen opted not to give much of a response during the call, but he said afterward that he's not buying much into anything about Silva, let alons the comments made on Monday.

"People can't understand why I'm not getting caught up on the hype of Anderson Silva, but he can't take the magazine covers and press stories into the Octagon with him," Sonnen said in comments released by the UFC. "He's just a man with two arms, two legs - and I'm going to beat him on July 7 because I want it more than he does."

Sonnen then went into hard sell mode, making it clear he's got one thing on his mind come UFC 148: The UFC Middleweight Championship.

"I don't need anything in my life - but I have to have that belt," he said. "Everything I've done, everything I've worked for and sacrificed - everything I have in life - I would give it all away to be the UFC Champion for just one night."

Additonally, UFC President Dana White commented on Silva's tirade, a rant the likes of which he's never witnessed from the man he considers the "greatest mixed martial artist ever."

"I've promoted every Anderson Silva fight since he's been in the UFC in 2006, and I've never heard him talk even remotely like this," White commented. "He is usually so respectful and doesn't say anything negative or disrespectful. I've never heard Anderson talk like this once ? and I've never heard Chael be so sincere about how bad he wants to win this fight and what it means to him to be the UFC World Champion."

Penick's Analysis: This may be the biggest fight the UFC promotes this year, and it's getting raised up even further after Silva's comments on Monday. He's been mostly silent in the lead up to this fight, but this came at the perfect time. There isn't much in the way of sporting events this weekend, giving enough time for the comments to gestate and stick with fans heading into the pay-per-view next weekend. The UFC is expecting to hit the one million mark for pay-per-view buys for the event, a mark they haven't hit since 2010, and this will only help. As for Sonnen, he's turned off the over the top Chael P. Sonnen persona, and in the final weeks before the fight he's taking a serious note. This is the fight he desperately wants to win after coming so close in 2010, and it's his last chance to keep himself at the top of the MMA world.